| Where: | Everywhere |
| When: | 31st October |
| Time: | 4.33 pm or thereabouts (UK GMT) |
Dusking is the practice of marking the return of the darker season of the year, to celebrate, reflect and embrace it- for after all, without those approaching short winter days we wouldn’t have the golden summertime to follow. Promoted by artist and folklorist Lucy Wright, the custom is now an established modern tradition, and it’s all inclusive regardless of who or where you are. In a mirror image of the May Day practice of Dancing Up the Sun, participants can take part alone as “hedge-morris dancers”or in organised groups, in any location inside or out, at home or in public, and can mark the sunset with dancing, song, poetry or in any way they like. At dusk in the crepuscular autumn dimpsy, participants acknowledge the going down of the sun and the balance of the seasons, honouring the darkness to come in a positive way. Lucy Wright was influenced by Rae Beth’s book ‘Hedge Witch’ about solitary witchcraft, which uses the word ‘hedge’ in a similar way to the hedge schools of 18th/19th century Ireland, and hedge priests teaching the gospel outside of an established church; she was also inspired by Katherine May’s book, “Wintering: the power of rest and retreat in difficult times“. Morris tradition, and the works of Terry Pratchett and the Dark Morris are also associated with Dusking- and if you want to look as though you’re extinguishing the sun Lucy recommends the use of heavy burlap sacks to wave in place of white hankies. 31st October is the ideal date for the custom, with its established traditions of Samhain and Hallowe’en making it very appropriate and it’s totally unsanctioned, unofficial and independent. It also takes place at twilight just after the clocks change to Greenwich Mean Time in the UK giving us an earlier sunset, and long dusky evenings for the weeks to follow.
Helpful Hints
Dusking takes place on 31st October regardless of weekday. Sundown is officially at 4.33 pm in the UK so if you’re in another part of the world you’ll need to adjust to your local time.
Click here for more on Dusking: https://tradfolk.co/art/writing/what-is-dusking/
Click here for Lucy Wright’s website , also with info on her other projects: https://www.lucywright.art\
and here for her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010212492405
Photo of “Dusking at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 2025” by Catherine Mugonyi and second photo shows me Dusking with my turnip lantern in 2025.
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